During the course of their lifetimes, people will experience many life-changing events. There will be positive events like graduating from college, getting married, and having children. There will also inevitably be negative events like breaking up with someone, experiencing personal failure, or losing someone close. Hopefully, one negative event that everyone can avoid is a car accident. The reason is that a car accident can change a person’s life in a big way and not for the better.
That is because there are many negative consequences that can result from a car accident, such as serious physical injuries, financial expenses, and emotional trauma. If the car accident was caused by a negligent driver, then the victim can file a personal injury claim so that they can receive compensation that can cover their accident-related expenses. It is necessary to retain a personal injury lawyer to help file a personal injury claim, which is why California residents should contact an accident lawyer in Riverside if they were the victim of a car accident in that area.
The Effects of a Car Accident
A car accident can have a lot of long-lasting effects on the people involved in the crash. Those effects can be divided into the following categories.
Physical Effects
A person can be left with a lot of injuries after a car accident. Depending on the severity of the crash, those injuries could be quite serious and take a while before they heal; in the worst case scenarios, the injuries might be permanent. Whiplash is a common injury in auto accidents and while the effects can last for a while, it is not usually a permanent condition. The same goes for concussions, which are another common kind of injury in car accidents. However, more serious head injuries could cause permanent brain damage that could affect a person’s way of life.
Broken bones are another common injury in car accidents. Even though most fractures and breaks will eventually heal, the accident victim will be debilitated for a while before that happens. Overall, any kind of car accident has the potential to cause long-lasting physical consequences for the people involved.
Financial Effects
The physical effects described above will need medical treatment to be taken care of. The medical bills can be quite expensive, especially if the injuries are severe. If the accident victim’s vehicle sustained a lot of damage, then the cost of repairing, or even replacing, the vehicle will be high as well. Furthermore, if the accident victim is severely injured, then they may not be able to work until they make a full or partial recovery. If that is the case, then they will have lost wages to worry about as well.
Emotional/Psychological Effects
The emotional and psychological effects of a car accident are often overlooked but they can be just as serious as the physical wounds. A car accident is a stressful event that could leave the victim with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This could cause the victim to have flashbacks to the accident, it could also make them hostile and paranoid to those close to them. If someone gets injured in a car accident, then they may not be able to perform certain actions and take part in certain activities.
That could have a negative effect on their mental state if they are unable to do things that they once enjoyed. There is also the pain and suffering experienced by the accident victim to think about as well. If it was intense enough, then it could have lingering psychological effects.
Get The Help You Need After a Car Accident
There are several ways that a car accident can change your life, often for the worse. But you can avoid those changes by getting the help you need. When it comes to the physical effects, you should see the appropriate medical professionals as soon as possible. The same goes for mental health professionals regarding the emotional and psychological trauma of a car accident.
When it comes to the financial fallout and getting the physical and mental care that you need, you should contact a personal injury attorney. They can help you to secure the compensation that you need to cover the financial consequences of your accident. You can then use that compensation for the physical and mental care you need. So be sure to contact a lawyer after you have been in a car accident if you don’t want any of the negative changes to your life to be permanent.
